From Falmouth Harbor, we had a real fast, close reach to Deshaies in
Guadeloupe. We swam, hiked and enjoyed some excellent French food in
Deshaies, including one "long French lunch." After a troubling day
attempting to get diesel in Basseterre, we ended up sailing to
Point-a-Pitre, getting fuel and then sailing back to The Saints
that same evening. The Saints, small islands south of Guadeloupe, were
absolutely gorgeous; we thought of them as the "Martha's Vineyard" of
Guadeloupe.
MPEG Videos: (right click to download, left click
to play)
- Bill sailing us
into Deshaies, Guadeloupe. (2.0 meg)
- Hotstuff! (2.0 meg)
After a great sail from Antigua, the next morning we awake to a rainy
day in Deshaies (Day-Hay), Guadeloupe. Ummmm, the french bakery has
wonderful, smokey warm baguettes.
I guess I know our next pet.
Baguette in hand we set out on a hike, only to find 'Le Tableau du
Poisson Rouge' atop a mountain peak offering a four course set menu dejeuner. The baguette would wait.
Le Tableau du Poisson Rouge
View from Le Tableau du Poisson Rouge
Bird on watch.
Vanish at rest in Deshaies harbor.
B-Bye, Deshaies - We'll be back.
Scene 1: Tough day for Vanish and Haze. Plan was sail from Deshaies
(north west corner of Guadeloupe) to The Saints (Islands south of
Guadeloupe) with a brief fuel stop in Basseterre. Let's not discuss
how we know, but the channel in to Marina Riviere Sens is very
shallow, and the fuel at the marina was not even open.
Thanks Paulie (guy in middle of photo) for your assistance.
Scene 2: Plans to reach The Saints aborted due to low fuel, we anchor off
Basseterre and assist our neighbor in the bay. Edward (pictured at
left) is a solo eco-sailor on a
24' petroleum-free wooden sloop. With no engine and a rolly harbor he
needed a light push closer to land.
Scene 3: After a delightful veggie burger bbq on Vanish with Edward, there is
late night knock on the topsides. "Ahoy Vanish, Ahoy Vanish, do you
know were your dinghy is?".
Paulie came to the rescue again. On land
eying his boat lying next to us in the anchorage, he happened to see
Haze wonder away from Vanish's stern. With one paddle and a half-inflated dinghy, Paulie rowed like mad out of the marina. As he put
it, "It was 50/50, I could go for the drifting dinghy, or try to reach
Vanish and get some help". With a sign of sanity, he chose not to
paddle out into the open sea alone at night. Bill jumped in Paulie's
dinghy with an extra paddle, spotlight and handheld VHF, and headed
out to sea. Twenty minutes later, Haze was safe again.
Paulie is another single hander, on a 46' French sloop, again with no engine.
We shared all the beers we had and were treated to his hilarious sea
stories. Thanks Paulie, we owe you.
After a brief fuel stop in Pointe-a-Pitre, we made it to the Saints!
Think of the Saints as the Martha's Vineyard of Guadeloupe.
After a steep hike up to Le Chameau - a lookout tower for Napolean's
fort - we were treated to this view.
Le Chameau, The Saints.
Edward also made it to the Saints and joined us for the hike.
Edward's colorful wooden sloop.
